Close to 70 per cent of respondents to an online poll by The Times said they prefer to call the European currency euro rather than ewro in Maltese.

Almost 20 per cent opted for ewro and just over 10 per cent thought: What's in a name?

One of the respondents who preferred the euro said the currency should be spelled the same way throughout the EU countries as this avoided confusion.

"For a country which cannot even provide sufficient, adequately trained/educated people to work as translators of their own language at the EU, I think all this fuss about the currency spelling is quite ridiculous. Start addressing your own educational system, Malta, before straining at the gnat spelled ewro."

Another wrote: "While the country faces crippling problems, all that academics can come up with is a stinging raging debate on a w. Literally!" The respondent added that Akkademja tal-Malti carries on with its "ridiculous agenda to impose their rules on the Maltese language rather than implementing the Maltese used by the people..."

One argued that ewro was not Maltese anyway. "Why not ewru then?"

Taking a Sherlock Holmes attitude, one reader wrote: "Elementary, my dear Watson. You say pounds not pawnz, shillings not xillingz, pence and not penz! Likewise, we pronounce Saudi Riyal and not Sawdi Rjal!"

One who argued for the ewro said that using the term euro was a shame for the Maltese and the language.

Another said that if the Maltese were to insist on euro, was Ewropa (the Maltese for Europe) to be changed to Europa.

"Let us not be ridiculous. After all we had changed the word pound to lira way way back in the 1970s. What's so different now?"

A respondent who evidently does not think the spelling of the word does not make a difference commented: "Can't believe how much time and energy is being wasted over this trivial nonsense. When are people in this country going to grow up?"

Another said: "Is it really important after all? Rather than discussing the positive and negative effects the new currency can have on us - like all other countries are doing - we're wasting out time by making an issue out of nothing. Unfortunately, this episode highlights once again the low level of politics and journalism in our country".

A respondent went against the grain and said it should be neither the euro nor the ewro but the Maltese lira, the sovereign currency of Malta controlled by the Maltese, not a foreign currency controlled by the European Central Bank over which the people of Malta have no democratic control whatsoever.